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Topic Review (Newest First)

03-14-2014 02:04 PM

mego

she is lovely and I like how she lays by the fireplace to dry.

Hoping for the best for you and Maika - hopefully it's something that's easy to fix

03-14-2014 01:22 PM

Maika

Thank you all for your replies and advice. yes I think her bed has to go and get her one that is flat where she can stretch out and not have that curve in her spine all night. I am looking for a specialist in GSD's in this area who can take Xray's etc and have a deeper look into her problem. I think this has to be done now as soon as possible. Thanks again for all your help. Best Regards to all. Kevin

03-10-2014 11:18 AM

Kahrg4

DM stands for Degenerative Myelopathy. It's a neuromuscular condition all too common in GSDs. I don't have any better advice than the others have offered, but here's sending you both well wishes.

03-10-2014 09:59 AM

JeanKBBMMMAAN

Hi - I would get rid of the basket bed - give it to someone with a smaller dog, and instead look for something more like a crib mattress. Sounds like your dog has it MADE!

I am not sure on the calcium pills - if they help or not - and how the balance works with dogs and that kind of supplement. Something like Ester C has calcium in it and supposedly supports joints so maybe (again - this is something I'd want to research more) it would be more helpful.

If this were my dog, I'd probably want to check a few things - not necessarily all at once - some in a regular yearly type wellness check at the vet, and then if needed a physical therapy/sports medicine type vet, if available.
1. Are their ticks in Spain? They don't cover that on House Hunters International a tv show here! If so, tick test.
2. Thyroid issues - she's young - can cause a lot of weird things and I might ask about testing - though it wouldn't be top of my list.
3. I'd also want regular blood work, urinalysis and fecal done - before an x-ray.
4. Xrays - hips, elbows, spine - and I always have a big conversation about how they put the dog under (my vet does a quick thing if needed). Dogs are often sore after that kind of manipulation.
5. Then depending on that information I'd likely be looking at what kind of supplements are available there, and what kind of physical therapy vets are available there.

Good luck!

03-10-2014 09:03 AM

Maika

Quote:

Originally Posted by robk

she is very beautiful and it sounds like you love her very much and are doing your best to take great care of her. She is very lucky to have someone willing to give her the much needed attention that she gets from you. She looks so much like my old girl Jasmine. They really could be twins. I wish I could help you with your question on the legs. The only thing that I can suggest is to have her hips and spine x-rayed and may be have her tested for DM. My only other suggestion would be to carefully watch her weight. No matter what is going on, it is better for her to be lean. Extra weight will just make it harder for her. Good luck with her. Again, she is very lucky to have someone to love her.

Hi robk. Thanks for getting back to me. Yes she is defiantly pampered and over loved I think sometimes when I give her a few hugs she looks as if to say "Oh NO not again" then promptly looks up to where her treats are . I need to find out what DM is?. She is very slim so I am keeping an eye on her weight etc. I think the Xray as you and another member have suggested is a must to get to the root of the problem ASAP. Very best to you. Kevin

03-10-2014 08:55 AM

Maika

Quote:

Originally Posted by K9POPPY

So sorry to hear about your GSD, she is beautiful. I would advise you to take her to the vet immediately-sounds as if she might have spinal issues. DM usually occurs in older dogs, and the symptoms don't sound like what you are experiencing. Regardless, the vet can probably diagnose her problems pretty quickly. Best of luck to you and the pup-

Hi K9POPPY. Thanks for your return message. Yes I think she will have to go to a vet but one who is a specialist in this area to get her looked at. If anything can be done I need to do it now while she is young. Take care. Kevin

03-10-2014 08:41 AM

K9POPPY

So sorry to hear about your GSD, she is beautiful. I would advise you to take her to the vet immediately-sounds as if she might have spinal issues. DM usually occurs in older dogs, and the symptoms don't sound like what you are experiencing. Regardless, the vet can probably diagnose her problems pretty quickly. Best of luck to you and the pup-

03-10-2014 08:29 AM

robk

she is very beautiful and it sounds like you love her very much and are doing your best to take great care of her. She is very lucky to have someone willing to give her the much needed attention that she gets from you. She looks so much like my old girl Jasmine. They really could be twins. I wish I could help you with your question on the legs. The only thing that I can suggest is to have her hips and spine x-rayed and may be have her tested for DM. My only other suggestion would be to carefully watch her weight. No matter what is going on, it is better for her to be lean. Extra weight will just make it harder for her. Good luck with her. Again, she is very lucky to have someone to love her.

03-10-2014 08:10 AM

Maika

Back legs Collapsing only 2 Years Old. Very Worried.

Hi to all members from a very damp and wet Spain. Sorry I have not been on here much but have had a few of the family departed to a better life and heavy work load etc, hope I can get on here more often to at least help some others if I can.

Well "Maika" is now two years old and is looking great, she eats well and is obedient even though I had her thrown on me at only one month. Her behaviour with strangers is a lot better and with other dogs and she is a real beauty.

I have one haunting and what maybe a very severe problem however, which I will explain in a few minutes. Where we live the winters are very cold and wet with damp grass and damp terraces made of a rustic tile which absorbs the rain, inside the house there are no carpets and all is a cold tile floor. The climate here is geared up for heat in Southern Spain more than the cold although the weather is changing dramatically as in other parts of the world. Maika likes two walks a day, one about 8am and the other about 6pm and as we live in the country her walks are quite often a wet and soggy affair with puddles and rivers and long wet grass.

When I get her home I dry her off and she lays down on a dog bed in front of the fire to dry off. So that is a bit about her life and her surroundings. About 6 months ago I noticed that when she was running after sticks at a **** of a rate of knots she goes to stop to grab the stick and sometimes her back end just drops to the floor and then she gets up again and continues on as if nothing has happened. She can be sat outside "Never" in the rain but it can be cold about 4. Oc and when she gets up she does so slowly and her back legs shack, only her back legs not the rest of her body.

I have noticed this becoming more frequent lately, about 2 times a week. I have heard that German Shepherds can suffer with a rear legs disorder from reading things on the internet and am very worried about her. She seems happy and in no pain and eats well.

I think I should mention one thing here that I think you all should know. I bought her a big dogs basket for her to sleep in at night as she sleeps indoors in the lounge, now the basket is about the biggest I can get but it still has her laying sort of half moon shape with a curve in her back and she can not fully stretch out, then she has her 4 dogs biscuits and I tuck her in with a big blanket so just her head is stuck out and she is off sound asleep yeah I know she is my baby..... My wife says she would like the same treatment!!.

Well that's it folks, that is my worry and its starting to keep me up at nights worrying about her. What if her back legs do go and she cant walk very well but is in no pain at all?, There is no way I would have her put down and would just have to adapt some sort of trolley which supports her back en and she can walk with her front legs, doing her poos and wee etc I will just have to nurse her and clean up after her although I hope it never comes to that. She is taking 2 calcium tablets everyday with a bit of sausage in order to try and help her bones. Thank you all for any help or advice or other cases similar to Maika. Regards to all. Kevin